Sample display device



t. e' 0c 4, 1927 F. WOLF AsAMPLx: DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April '7, 1922 oct.- 4,4 1921.

SAMPLE DISPLAY DEVICE FiledfApril 7,- 1922' 4 sheets-slim 2 JWM ocr. 4

f 1927- F. woLF SAMPLE DISPLAY DEVICE' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April '7, 1922 Patented ct. 4, 1927.

unirse srarss FRANK WOLROF NEW YORK, N. Y.

sAMPLEaDrsPLAY DEVICE.

Application led-Aprlli, 1:922. Serial No. 550,525.

samples of various materials so that they will make a favorable impression upon the observer. It isanother purpose of my present improvement to providea Adisplay device of the above character which may be advantageously used in dressing` a window or may be arranged upon a stand or table, the said device being of such construction that it may be easily lifted from its display position in'order that the prospective purchaser may make a critical inspection of the ldisplay samples or feel the sample and ascertain the approximate texture and weight ofthe material.

The invention further comprehends a 'sample display device of such construction that one or more samples may be readily mounted in posit-ion and the samples easily and quickly changed whenever desired.

In one of the embodiments shown in the drawings I have disclosed a holder for the sample card in the form of a sheet metal plate having inturned -flanges at itsopposite edges adapted to receive they edges of thek sample card'. The holder plate and the sample card are then adapted to be bentinto transversely curved form'and the edges of Y tachablv engaged with one edge ofthe open-l the plate -removably engaged in retaining anges on the ends of a supporting plate which extends across the back of the holder. This supporting plate may be detachably mounted upon the upper end of a standard or it may be integrally formed with or secured to the upper end of an inclined leg or prop.

In another embodiment of the invention I have shown the sample card consisting of fro-nt and back portions hingedly connected along one of their longitudinal edges and the front portion having an'opening in which the sample attached to the back portion of the car-d is displayed. In this form of the device the opposite side edges of the card are directly engagedin the retaining flanges on the ends of the supporting plate.

It is likewise a secondary feature of my present improvements to provide an improved price tag or marker which may be deing in the sample holder. n

wWith the above and other objectsv in view, the invention consists 1n the improved sain.`

ple display device and inv the form, construel tion .and relative arrangement of the parts thereof as willl be hereinafter more fully` described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims. V f

In vthev drawings wherein I have disclosed several simple and practical embodiments of my present invention and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views;

1 is a front elevation illustrating oneform of the improved display device for displaying a' single sample;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view;

3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another embodiment of the invention in the form of an easel having provision for displaying a series of samples; a

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4;

Fig.. 6 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of one of the detachable price tags vor markers;

8 is a rear elevation showing aslightly modified form of the device as shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a detail vertical section tak-en on the line 99 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 10 and 11 are front and side elevationsV respectively, of another alternative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal .section taken on the line12-12 of Fig. 10;

Fig.y 13 is a front elevation showing a further modilication of the device;

Fig. 14 is a vertical section taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 13, and

Figfl is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 13.

In Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings, I have shown a form of my invention in which provision is made for the display of a single sample. The device is primarily 'designed for the purpose of displaying woolen tailoring materials, though the form and construction of the several embodiments of the invention as will be hereinafter disclosed, are not necessarily limited to such specific purpose, as they may obviously also be advantageously utilized for the purpose of displaying samples of dress goods or various other materials.

As is wellknown, yin the repeated use of sample cards, usually of relatively stiff or heavy cardboard to the face oi: which the sample is attached7 the surface ot' the card becomes soiled and unsightly. This -is pan ticularly the case when a white card .Cillllfying advertising matter is used. Therefore, I provide a sheet metal plate Y5 which not only affords a protection for the surface of the card, butis also provided with-means for retaining or holding the card in display position. This sheet metal plate may be of any desired ornamental vform and of any preferred dimensions. It may also bear upon its surface suitable advertising matter. As herein shown, this flexible sheet metal plate is provided lalong its opposite side edges with inwardly turned longitudinally extending kflanges 6 disposed at an lacute angle with respect `to the .plane ot' said plate.

The holder plate 5 is further provided with ank opening 7k in the central portion thereof illustrated in the presen-t instance as being of rectangular toi-m. Above this opening one or more 4slots v8 are Vout in the plate for a purpose which will presently become apparent.

Belowwthe opening 8 a tongue S) is struck therefrom and upwardly turned Vat one side of the plate, as clearly seen in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The holder plate 5 is adapted to 'bemou-nted in a relatively narrow support-ing plate 10 which is provided .at its opposite ends .with the inturned angular flanges 111. This supportingplate 10 is of `somewhat less length than the normal width of the holder plate 5 and is -provided at the approximate center of its lower edge with a tain-)ring spindle 12 which isl adapted to be engaged in a socket 13 formed in the upper end of the 4 standard 1l, said standard at 4itsI low/er end being suitably mounted in the base 1,5.

The sample card 16 consists of a flexible sheet `of cardboard. To the surface of this cardboard sheet, the sample 17 is adhesively secured along its upper edge, said sample being` of slight-ly less dimensions than the area of the opening '7 in .the holder plate. The surface of the sample .card may be provided with suitable printed matter and when said card -is arranged in the holder plate said printed matter is displayed*through the slots Before mounting theholder plate in the support 10, the side edges of the card are engaged'underthe langes 6 on the :edges ol said plate and said card moved downwardly until its lower edge is disposed between the body of the plate 5 and the upwardly er tending tongue 9 thereon, at which timev the sample 17 will be positioned in the opening 7. An inward pressure is nowl applied to the opposite side edges'of the holder so that Said holder and the sample card therein arebent into concaif'o-convex-.form to such an extent that the side edges ofthe holder plate may be engaged under the end flanges 11 on the support 10. The tendency of the resilient holder plate to resume its normal straight form causes the side portions ot said plate to exert a constant outward pres sureagainst the langcs 11, thereby .producing a high frictional resistance to any tendency of said plate to slide or shift longitndinally .in the support.

The lower edge oi the supporting plate 10 is provided with horizontally disposed flanges 18 the Aforufard edges ot' which are curved as at 19 sothat-they will bear against the rear side of the sample card ,16 and-thusI afford a brace or support for the sample card and the vholder plate 5 --to prevent bucle ling or distortion thereof in the event that undue pressure should be accidentally applied against theouter surface of the card or the supporting plate.

After the sample card Ihas been properly mounted in the support 10 as yabove explained, the spindle 1201i the support isthen engaged in the socket 13 ot Ythe display stand. It will be noted that the plate il() extends at an angle with relation to the axis of the spindle 12 so .that the holder 5 with the sample ycard therein yis positioned I at an inclina-tion -with respect to the standard 14:. By reason `oli the convexity of the sample 17 on theoard when positioned in the holder plate and mounted in the support 10, the window decorator may secure the best light `eti'eets by the exercise of rgood judgment in positioning the display dr in the window so as to `thereby obtain the most attractive display of the sample. lt will also be .observed that the vsalesman-i .may readily remove 'an-v desi-red sample by simply lifting the holder from the supporting standard 14 and' the` prospeotivi` purchaser may minwtely examine the sample and engage the tree edge portion tliereoi1 hetweenrthe fingers so that he may judge of the texture ot the material, without removing the sample card from the holder plate. After exhibiting the `sample .the salesman can then igea-(lily again' mount the holder upon the supporting pla-te.

In Figs. 4- to 9 of the drawings I have illustra-.ted another embodiment oi' the in yention wherein the holder plate 5 is of an appreciably greater length than in the `torrn shown in Fig. 1 and is .adapted to be mounted in the supporting plate 10 in the .same manner as above described` said supporting plate in this case being formed upon the ,upper end of an inclined easel .or supporting leg` 20. In addition to the supporting plate 10v in which the side edges of the holder plate 5 are engaged at a point slightly above the longitudinal center of said plate, I provide a second plate 21 also having the intuined flangesI at its-ends similar to the supportingplate 10fand inf-which the opposite side edges .of the plate 5 are adapted to be'engaged ata point `adjacent to their' lowerends. This'add'itional plate 21 serves to constrict the holder plate at its lower portion softhat the same degree of oonvexity of said plate and the sample card arranged therei n is secured 'throughout their length. In this case the holder. plateV 5 is provided witha series of spaced openings 7 to accommodate the series of spaced samples 17 on the card. In spaced relation to its lower end edge the holder card 5 is slit or cut inwardly fora short distancefrom its opposite longitudinal edges as indicated at 5b and the central lower edge portion ofthe plate is cut out or recessed toprovide spaced supporting feet 5a which are adapted to contact with the surface upon which the device is arranged.` By the provision of the slits 5b, it Vwill be understood Vthat when the body portion of the plate is bent into concavo-convex form, the laterally c extending feet 5a will not he bent butwill extend from the intermediate curved'end portion of the plate in straight lines yas indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. i

In connection with this embodiment of the invention I have also shown an improved form of price marker 22. The body of the marker is formed with a lateral extension terminating lin an arrow head 23 and upon this end of the body` plate resilient fingers 24are provided at each .side vof said eXtension and project in an oppositedirection from the extension and at a slight angle with respect to the plane of the body portion of the marker. Thisv marker may be made either in the form of a metal stamping or of heavy cardboard. The two fingers 24 are adapted vto beengaged under one of the side edges of.' the openings in the holder plate in which the'samplel is displayed with the arrow vhead 23 overlying the surface of the sample. Owing to the resiliency of the fingers 24 engaged between the holder plate andthe sample card, the body of the mark-er and the extension thereof are maintained in tangential relation to the convex surface of the'body plate and the sample thereby prominently displaying the pricefigures in association with the sample.V Thismarker may, in addition to the price, bear anyother desired advertising matter;

In F ig. 8 kI haveshown an alternative of the 'construction shown inFig. 4 wherein the holder plate 5 is somewhat shorter and the supporting plate 10a isY of greater width than that shown in Fig. .4 of the drawings. In this case, the use of the supplementary plate 21 maybe dispensed with as the'single wide plate 10a will sutlice to retain the holder plate in its bent form and with its opposite edgesin` approximately parallel re# lation throughout their length. I have illustrated this short vholder for the sample card as provided with two of the display openings 7a. It will, therefore,` be manifest that in any'of the cases above discussed, va-

rious numbers of the display openings to receive a vcorresponding number of the material samples may be provided. l I

In'Figs. lOand-ll of the drawings I have shown still another embodiment of my invention wherein the use of a separate holder plate maybe dispensed with.V In this case the sample carrying card 25 consists of front and lrear sections hingedly connected to each other along one of their longitudinal side edges vas at 26; 'These two sections may be formed from onecontinuous sheet of cardboard of requisite thicknessor may be made from separate sheets hingedly connected to each other in any suitable manner. The outer section`27 of' the sample card which is. prov-idedwith the opening 28 through which the sample is displayed, is provided at its. opposite side edge with an inwardly turned `flange 29 which is adapted to receive the free edge of therear. portion of. the card. A.Itl willloe understood that this flange 29 will' yieldv sui'iciently to enable the edge of said `rear portionto be* readily engaged under said flange or removed from engagement therewith.- After the sample has been secured upon the rear section of the card 25 and the two sections engaged upon each other, they'are then 4bent together into the curved cross-s`ectional form seen in Fig. 12 and-the opposite side edges ofthe card inserted beneath the flanges on the ends of the supporting plate 30 in the mannerV previously described. The form. and construction of the support 3() is the same as that first referred to and it may Abe mounted either upon the supporting standard or may be provided with the inclined easel or vprop as shown" in Fig. 5. i y

In connection with this form ofthe invention, itis Yobvious'that if desired, the front section 27 of 'the sample card might be of metal and the rear section of cardboard suitably hinged along one of its edges to said metal section, or on the other hand, both sections might be made of sheet metal. Likewise, it is evident that in the several forms of the device'previously described,4 the sample card might consist of a thin flexible metal plate in lieu of the cardboard sheet.

In Figs. 13, 14 and l5 of the drawings I have disclosed a further modification of the devicel in rwhich the supporting plate 10b is integrally formed upon the upper end of a leg 32 to the rear side of which the inclined prop`38 is attached at its upper end and extendsin divergentfrelation therefrom so as to maintain the supporting plate and its leg in a' vertically inclinedposition. The plate lill) ill) lOb'is provided at its ends with 'the' inturned flanges as in the other forms of the invention above `referred to. From the central portion of said plate the horizontally extending opposed resilient arms 34 are cut, said arms at their outer ends remaining int egrally connected with the body ofthe supporting plate and projecting forwardly at an angle `with respect to the plane thereof and "f in converging relation `to each other, the

innerends of'said arms being spaced apart as clearly shownin Fig. 15 of the drawings. Then the sample card is airanged in the holder plate and said holder plate and the card bent into concavo-convex form and the flanged edges of the plate engaged under the flanges of the support 10b as above described in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in kFig. 1 of .the drawings, the resilient arms34 exerta bearingpressure against the concave face of the card adjacent -to its central `portion and subserve the same purpose as the flanges 18 of the construction shown in Fig. 3` of preventing ythe accidental bending or distortion of the intermediate port-ion of the card carrying the sample which is yexposed in the opening. of the Iholder plate. While, in the 'illustration of the embodiment of the invention I have shown the holder plate provided with only a single opening to receive the display sainple, it will be vapparent that the holder plate may be made in various lengths and provided with a number of such openings for receiving a series of samples, if desired.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with .the accompanying drawings, the construction, and manner of use of the several embodiments of the device herein disclosed, will be vreadily disclosed'. My improved sample display device can be made in various sizes, and enables the retailer t0 easily and quickly change the samples of materials which are on display and provides means for most attractively presenting the material 4samples to the observation of prospective purchasers. I have above described several simple and practical forms of my invention, but it is nevertheless apparent that the device is susceptible of embodiment in variousother alternative constructions. Accordingly, I reserve the privilege of 'resortingito all such legitimate changes in the form, construct-ion and relative arrangement of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the appen-'ded claims.

I claim:

'1. `In .a sample display device, a sheet of flexible material having a fabric sample attached -to one .side `thereof curvedffrom a flat condition into a coi'icavoconvex form, 4a snpporting member `adaptedto extend across the concave Side @fthe Sheet. and having nwar'dly turned flanges atitsedges to receive the opposite side edges of the curved sheet, and an outwardly extending member between said inturned flanges interposed between the supporting member and the concave side of the sheet to hold it with the sample in conjunction with said outwardly extending member around which the sheet and sample will be curved outwardly.

2. In a sample `display device, a sheet of flexible material having aniopening therethrough and an inwardly turned flange at one side edge thereof, a sheet of flexible material positioned with an edge extending under the inwardly turned flange .on the first said sheet of `flexible material and having a fabric sample attached to one. side,v thereof so as to be exposed through the aforesaid opening, said flexible sheets being bent from a flat condition into a concave-convex form, a supporting member adapted to extend across the concave side of the sheets and having inwardly turned flanges at its edges to receive the opposite side edgesv of 'the curved sheets and retain thein in concavoconvex form, and members extending inwardly from the supporting means adapted to engage the concave side of the. sample carrying sheet and hold it in position with the Vsample extending through the opening in thc .first mentioned sheet of flexible materia'l.

3. In a sample display device, a sheet of flexible material having inwardly turned side edges and Vopenings therethrough, a

sample sheet having its edges extending under the flanges of the flexible sheet and having fabric samples thereon exposed through said openings, said flexible and sample sheets being curvedfrom a flat condition to a concavo-convex form. a supporting member of a length considerably less than that of the flexible lsheet and adapted to extend `across the concave sideV of the sheet and having inwardly turned flanges at its ends to receive the inwardly turned flanges of the flexible sheet and retain the same in its concavo-convex form, said support having angularly disposed bracingmeans extending inwardly and engaging the concave side of the sample sheet and holding it against the concaveV side of the flexible sheet.

4. In aA sample display device, a sheet of flexible material having an opening therein and its side edges provided with vinwardly turned flanges, a sample sheet adapted to have its edges extend under' the 4flanges of the flexiblesheet, said flexible and sample sheets being curved from a flat condition into a concave-convex form, a supporting member adapted to extend across the concave side of the sheet and having inwardly turned flanges at its ends to receive the inwardly turned flanges of the flexible sheet and retain the same in its concave-convex form, a supporting leg for said support andan angularly il fl disposed bracing means adapted to engage the concave side of the sample sheet and hold it against the concave side of the flexible sheet.

5. In a sample display device, a support comprising a. fiat strip having inturned flanges at its side edgesadapted to hold a flexible display card by its edges engaged within said flanges, a projecting member between said flanges on said strip and extending outwardly therefrom whereby the flexible display card will be curved outwardly around said projecting member while its edges are held by said flanges, and means for holding the support in a substantially upright position. v

6. In a sample display device, a sheet of flexible material, and curved from a flat condition into a concave-convex form, a supporting member adapted to extend across the concaved side of the sheet, and having inwardly turned flanges at its edges to receive the opposite side edges of the curved sheet, and an outwardly extending member arranged between the concave face of the curved sheet and the inner flat face oi the supporting member, and having a convex edge bracing the curved sheet throughout approximately its entire length, and holding the same in said curved position.

.7. In a sample display device, a sheet of flexible material curved from a flat condition into a concavo-convex form, a supporting member adapted to extend across the concave side of the sheet and having inwardly turned flanges at its edges to receive the opposite side edges of the curved sheet, and outwardly extending members carried by the supporting member and having a conveX outer edge, and engaging the concave face of the curved sheet throughout approximately its entire length, and holding the same in said curved position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereunder.

FRANK WOLF. 

